Aircraft repair is hampered by bureaucracy: experts call for simplified certification and updated approaches to documentation

In the current system of certification for aviation developers, manufacturers, and repair organizations, there are certain gaps that hinder the renewal of the aircraft fleet. This was stated during an industry discussion by Oleksandr Nahapetyan, former deputy general director of "H3Operations" company, UNN reports.

Details

According to the expert, the primary challenge is outdated certification procedures that are still based on Soviet approaches. Due to excessive bureaucracy, Ukrainian companies cannot fully and promptly introduce modern components and analogues to Soviet parts – even such as bearings, lubricants, or electronic elements – into circulation.

Today, one transistor can extend the life of an aircraft board by 20 years. But to legalize its use, one needs to go through a complex and costly certification. Because of this, enterprises do not risk implementing innovations, as the costs of certification are greater than the value of the product itself.

He emphasized that the situation is also complicated by the lack of legal support for making changes to design and operational documentation. This blocks technological modernization, particularly during the repair of Mi-8 helicopters, which are critically important for Ukraine.

Today, Mi-8 helicopters are actively used both in the military sphere – for evacuation, logistics, search and rescue operations – and in the civilian sector, particularly in international humanitarian and peacekeeping missions under the auspices of the UN. Their versatility, maintainability, and already established maintenance infrastructure make these machines indispensable in conditions of war and limited resources. Therefore, ensuring the technical serviceability of Mi-8 is not only a matter of defense capability but also a reputational component of Ukraine's participation in global operations.

Without approved changes to the documentation, we cannot operate within the legal framework. And this jeopardizes the further functioning of entire types of Soviet aviation equipment, including the Mi-8.

In addition, the expert mentioned similar problems with the transition to new types of aviation lubricants and hydraulic fluids. According to him, even after involving chemists to analyze imported analogues, it turned out that many of them are not a full replacement – particularly due to incompatibility with Soviet rubber products. Only after lengthy research and testing was it possible to switch to new, mostly foreign, lubricant samples. At the same time, the work itself on coordinating their practical use in aviation equipment proved to be extremely labor-intensive, complex, and over-regulated by the regulatory framework.

Oleksandr Nahapetyan also noted the importance of expanding the staff of relevant departments of the State Aviation Service, simplifying document flow, and defining at the state level the person responsible for supporting changes to documentation. According to him, this issue does not require additional funding, only political will.

A comprehensive solution is needed – from the country's leadership, relevant committees, and the government. This will allow preserving and developing Ukraine's potential in the field of aircraft repair and operation.

Recall

Earlier, the commander of the Army Aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Pavlo Bardakov, stated that Ukraine cannot abandon Soviet aviation equipment, particularly Mi-8 helicopters, and will continue to modernize vessels to maintain combat readiness. According to him, despite the arrival of Western models such as F-16 and Mirage, Soviet aircraft and helicopters remain a key component of aviation forces, as combat missions are not decreasing. Ukraine, Bardakov noted, is moving in two directions – simultaneously mastering new equipment and continuing technical maintenance, modernization, and import substitution within the existing fleet.

At the same time, two Ukrainian Mi-8MT helicopters, modernized by "MS AVIA-GRADE" company under a state contract, are currently at risk of returning to the army without combat equipment. After the machines were transferred for overhaul, the installed weaponry was dismantled and subsequently seized by court order – despite the fact that the equipment met current Ukrainian standards. The performing company was not allowed to participate in reclamation procedures, which makes it impossible to fulfill warranties. The reason for recognizing the equipment as "inauthentic" was its comparison with Soviet-Russian GOSTs, and not with Ukrainian technical specifications. The situation caused a significant resonance due to the threat of loss of combat capability of the equipment during the war.